Carrying tools and wood safely

When you fall, you reflexively throw your arms forwards or down to catch yourself. If you are holding an open blade at that moment, it moves exactly to where your own body lands. A covered blade, on the other hand, cannot cut, and a blade pointing down and outwards points away from the body. Together these two measures make a stumble harmless.

Small loads leave one hand free. With that hand you keep your balance, push twigs out of your face or catch yourself. Someone with both arms fully loaded cannot see the ground in front of their feet and in a fall can only land on their face. That is why several short trips are safer than one overloaded one.

The back is under most strain when lifting if you bend forwards with straight legs and the load is far from the body. The closer the load is to the body and the more the strong leg muscles do the work, the lower the strain on the spine. Twisting under load is particularly bad.

Grip the hatchet by the handle near the head, arm relaxed at your side, edge pointing down and slightly away from your leg. That way it cannot swing into your legs if you trip. Carried over the shoulder, the edge points at your neck and head – in a fall or when you turn round, that is dangerous for you and others. Knife and saw go closed or sheathed onto your belt or into your pack.

Bundle wood with a rope or a wide strap. A bundle can go over your shoulder or be dragged behind you. A wide strap spreads the pressure better than thin cord that cuts into your hand. Lift long poles at the front end and let the back end drag along the ground – that way you carry only part of the weight.

At the destination every tool has a fixed place, for example on a particular stump or on a tarp. A tool lying somewhere in the grass gets overlooked, stepped on or lost. These simple rules are often forgotten when fetching wood at dusk – so plan to collect wood while it is still light.

The most important rule is short: never walk with an uncovered blade in your hand. This applies especially on slopes, over wet rocks, across streams and in the dark. Steep slopes and stream crossings with open blades are off limits. If you have lost a blade guard, improvise one first – for example from a piece of cloth tied on firmly – or carry the tool in your pack.

When handing over: handle first, blade away from the receiver, and let go only when they have clearly said “got it!”. That sounds fussy, but it prevents a tool from falling or both people grabbing at it at once. Practise this deliberately with children until it becomes second nature.

Heavy logs are not lifted alone. Bend your knees, grip the load close to your body, stand up with a straight back using your legs and turn with your feet, not your upper body. Work gloves protect against splinters. If someone still cuts themselves badly: press firmly on the wound and call the local emergency number (112 in the EU).

Fetching wood with a group: agree beforehand who carries which tool and talk through the route between collecting point and camp. Wood is collected only where that is allowed, and only deadwood. Children carry small bundles without tools; adults take the saw and hatchet. At camp the wood goes to a fixed stacking place at a distance from the fire.

Uneven ground and evening: this is where most stumbles happen. Switch on your head torch early, walk more slowly and carry less. If you have to climb over a fallen trunk, for example, put the bundle over first and then follow with your hands free. This entry does not replace occupational safety rules for commercial forestry work.